Content:1. General Information
2. Rue Faubourg Saint-Antoine, Paris
3. L. Belle Succur, Rue de Faubourg No. 84 & 87
4. Quarry Owners or mostly Stone Cutters?
5. Subsidiaries in London and New York
6. The Companies from F.G.B.C.
7. The Names of Peoples within the history of F.G.B.C.:

1. General Information

This profile deals with the early history of F.G.B.C. The company was founded in the year 1845. As it is mentioned in the profile fromF. Ghelfi, Biroleau & Cie. (F.G.B.C.)
we have to deal with a historical point of view especially concerning the origin of the Italian family members names (Ghelfi, Giovannacci and Bardotti).

During the existence of the company there have been several changes, actually they used a nickname “Établissements Belle” with the Trademark of the five grinding wheels and the shortcut M.P.O.P. which stands for“Grinding Wheels, Stones, Tools und Products” (“Meules, Pierres, Outillage, Produits”)

They company had a factory/warehouse down 61, Rue de Charonne. On the postcard from 1898 we find further more the information that the owned a steamplant “USINE A VAPEUR” and a waterworks “USINE HYDRAULIQUE”. The postcard contains a good content of important information. It mentions that the waterworks “USINE HYDRAULIQUE” was located at Canevara près Massa in Italy![1][2]

B. Ghelfi (Jean-Baptiste) was the brother of L. Ghelfi (Laurent) who later got a member of the company. This is documented on an old cheque and on the letterhead which was added to the beginning of this article.[3][5]

The location of the company within Rue du Faubourg was chosen very well already in past. The quarter around Rue Du Faubourg were well known since the 14th century housing a lot of furniture makers and wood workers. Those already settled there in the early times, this also because of tax incentives given from the king and the good location at river Seine, over which the wood could be transported directly to this quarter. Today you’ll still find a lot of tool shops, designer stores, woodworking stores still dealing with the product “wood”.

Here is an actual Google Street View picture of the old company from D. Giovannacci, L. & B. GhelfiIn old documents we also find information to the building at 84, Rue du Faubourg. It was build in 1908 under order of Mr. Ghelfi (Object BAH-12-1908-55718), architect was Edouard Jacquemin.

Another of the older pictures i found is from the year 1910. It was the time of the Great Flood of Paris called “Inondation” or the “Crue de la Seine” . Huge parts of Paris were under water as the river seine rose his water level about eight meters above normal level.

We can see that there is a small shop on the left side (2nd store from left) of the coach. The window advertisement says: Meules & Pierres Aiguiser à Polir. Just above that window it says L. BELLE.
Besides the shop of “Etablissement Belle” we see the house number 85, on the old cheques and letters is written.

This means that the store or shop from the picture was situated in 87, Rue de Faubourg. Before they had their Store at 84, Rue de Faubourg.

4. Quarry Owners or mostly Stone Cutters?

Interesting is that its unclear on which topics of business their main-focus was. As they imported a lot of different types of stone which are visible on the old papers and pictures. They had a big range of stones to offer:

It could be that their main business was dealing more importing huge amounts of stones and get them cut. On some of the older documents is written that they also sold the stones under commission. One Postcard mentions the wording sawmill (Sciere). Later we find documents[2] where they refer to quarries (Carrières) and factories (usines) they owned in:

La Nouvelle, La Vaûte, La Parisienne
(Gare Merviller-Vacqueville)

Neufmaison, La Boulaye
(Gare Pexonne)

Béménil-Bas, Bréménil-Haut, La Parisienne
(Gare Badonviller)

Some of the older documents also witness that the stones were also sold under commission to other sellers.

5. Subsidiaries in London and New York

Ghelfi & Droescher, 58 Warren Street, New York
The price list from the 01. January 1893[1] mentions that they also had subsidiaries in London & New York. The subsidiary is mentioned in the “Iron Age, Issue 47”from 1891, where a co-laboration between Ghelfi & Droescher, 58 Warren Street, New York is mentioned.[6]Another source about the subsidiary in London couldn’t be found up to date.

Montedonico. Ghelfi, and Co,, 44 Sutton Street, Clerkenwell, London, England (updated 01.11.2016):
Jethro found a resource to the Cooperation of Ghelfi & Montedonico. The cooperation was announced to be started already in 1886 with Montedonico, Ghelfi & Cie. at Boulevard St. Martin 15. Then it seems that three years later the actual cooperation was dissolved and restarted on the 15th July 1889. It was announced in the London Gazette, 19th July 1889 on Page 3912 with the following text.[7]

“NOTICE is hereby given, that the partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, Giovanni Baptista Ghelfi and Joseph Montedonico, carrying on business as Hone, Oilstone and Grindstone Merchants, at 44, Sutton Street, Clerkenwell, under the style or firm of Montedonico, Ghelfi, and Co., has been dissolved, by mutual consens, as from the 15th day of July 1889. All debts due to and owing by the said late firm will be received and paid by the said J. Montedonico. – Dated this 15th day of July 1889. – G. B. Ghelfi / J. Montedonico“

6. The Companies from F.G.B.C.

This chapter should show a short overview of the changes in terms of the different companies. Because of a huge amount of information, which isn’t fully complete, this chapter only shows an extract. If there is any new information available i will update this overview. The companies are listed in a “timeline” from the first founding to the end. Additional information is italic blue. Dates are highlighted “D: 1928” which stands for an existing document which witnesses facts or dates.

Actually its really hard to research this companies profile because due the early founding of the company in 1845 a lot of time has passed by and more or less only a little amount of information is still available. So if any more information about these names is available and how the people fit together i well appreciate any information!

Also due the immigration to France we have names appearing written in Italian and french language which makes it more complicate. So i added the names in both languages. If there was further more Information available i added those to the persons name.